In modern motor vehicles the power of the motor is frequently regulated electronically. The quantity of fresh gas taken in by the motor is predetermined here by an electronic control unit which processes a plurality of operating parameters and generates a control signal for an actuator, which activates the throttle valve by way of a transmission system. It is thus possible for example to keep the power output of the motor within safe limit values or to keep the exhaust gas values within legally prescribed limits.
For the measurement-based detection of a setpoint power value required by the driver, transducers are known which are integrated in the throttle lever or gas pedal of a motor vehicle. However it is disadvantageous that such transducers require auxiliary energy and the generated measurement signal has to be routed to a remote electronic control system.
To detect the angle of rotation of a throttle valve shaft an apparatus is known from DE 101 39 994 B4, in which the end face of a semicircular permanent magnet arranged concentrically with a swivel axis is fixed on a toothed wheel. Hall sensors are arranged within the range of movement of this permanent magnet segment to detect the radial magnetic field on the outside and on the inside of the permanent magnet. However the radial detection of the magnetic field means that the Hall sensors can only be arranged in an upright position on the printed circuit board. Only a relatively large-volume type of component can be used. The use of miniaturized SMD Hall sensors is not readily possible. The electronic measuring system therefore requires a certain structural volume.
A power regulator for a motorcycle is described in DE 10 2005 029 862 A1, in which the required power is predetermined manually at the throttle lever and transmitted to the throttle valve shaft by way of a Bowden cable with an intermediate torsion spring. The actual position of the throttle valve is however determined by a power regulation module, which overrides the manually predetermined setting by way of an actuator operated by means of an electric motor in certain operating phases. In other words in these phases it is not the driver who determines the power output of the motor but the electronic system. The electronic system and servomotor are arranged at separate locations from the throttle valve body structurally speaking. This requires a separately sealed electronic system housing and motor housing and corresponding assembly space respectively. The electronic system only detects the rotational position of the throttle valve shaft, not the manually predetermined setpoint power value. In override phases therefore the electronic power regulation module does not know the manually predetermined setpoint power value.